1.Women and men are created equal by God and equally represent Christ. We therefore seek justice for women in the church including ordination.

2.Jesus offered an example of inclusiveness and respect of persons that led, in the early Church, to the practice of ordaining the baptized from all states of life as deacons, priests, and bishops;

3.We affirm that no intrinsic connection exists between priesthood and mandatory celibacy;

4.We are called by the Holy Spirit from within our communities to follow Jesus as our model of empowerment and generous service. We support a climate of validation and affirmation, rejecting all forms of domination and control;

5.We recognize the injustices of class, race, sexual orientation, and mental and physical challenges as well as gender. We therefore, affirm the social justice tradition of the church and seek justice for all, especially the economically poor and the marginalized.

6.We are called to live as a community of equals, inclusive and respectful of differences;

7.We are called to transform hierarchical structures into non-hierarchical, community-based structures;

8.We are called to work for structural change and systemic justice with andfor the exploited and oppressed throughout the world.

9.We are called to work for an end to sexism and its domination/subordination paradigm and to work for justice for all.

10.We are each called to exercise our responsibility to discern and express our thoughts and to reach consensus. Voting on serious issues using a majority vote would be a last resort in the absence of consensus.

11.We are called to a model of ministerial priesthood that is grounded in our common Baptism, standing in and claiming the prophetic tradition of the Church, and teaching authority based on Scripture and Tradition, and in "reading the signs of the times";

12.We are called to renew theology, liturgy, and pastoral practice to better reflect the spirit and teachings of the Second Vatican Council as expressed in Gaudium et Spes and in contemporary theology including feminist and liberation theology.

We envision the ARCWP initiative as a transitional renewal movement within the Roman Catholic Church whose goal is to achieve full equality for all within a renewed Church.

We envision ARCWP as a communion of individuals and localities whose common purpose is to promote the ordination of women in full Apostolic Succession as a matter of justice and faithfulness to the Gospel.

"More than 250 Catholic priests in Austria are ready to disobey the pope and allow women to preach, the head of a progressive clergy platform confirmed on Wednesday.Helmut Schueller said the Priests' Initiative he leads has been pushing for admitting women and married men into the clergy for years, without results."

Bridget Mary's Reflection:Kudos to the courageous 250 priests in Austria who are in solidarity with the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement for justice and equality for women in the church.Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWPAssociation of Roman Catholic Women Priestssofiabmm@aol.com

"One wonders whether Dolan’s depression and DiMarzio’s mania was less a reaction to New York’s eroding moral fabric than it was a realization of the twilight of their once formidable power over New York politics.The bishops refuse to see that these officials were actually honoring the Catholic social justice tradition in their motivation for passing the marriage bill. They approached the issue as a cause for civil rights. From health care proxies and medical benefits to tax laws, same sex couples will now enjoy thousands of rights previously available only to married heterosexuals."

Bridget Mary's Reflection

Catholics get that the gay marriage issue is a human rights and social justice issue. The bishops, once again, don't get it! Archbishop Dolan's spontaneous apology to the gay community is a first step.

Honestly, the hierarchy have caused deep pain and alienation by their sinful label of gays as "defective". The institutional church should change their defective teaching and acknowledge marriage equality as a fundamental human right. Catholics in growing numbers are following their consciences on this issue and in this case, Catholic leaders are demonstrating a more compassionate, just church in action by their support of marriage equality.

By our baptism, we are all equals in Christ. There should be no discrimination based on race, culture, gender, sexual orientation or for any other reason. Jesus embraced all whom he encountered as the beloved of God, so should the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. See Galations 3;28.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

"The Catholic Bishops of Ohio have instructed Church members and organizations not to support the world's largest organisation against breast cancer -- the Susan G. Komen Foundation -- because it is not explicitly opposed to embryonic stem cell research, which the hierarchy condemns. The foundation is famous four its "Race for the Cure" series of 5K fundraising races all over the world. "

"As best we can determine, at present the Komen Foundation does not fund cancer research that employs embryonic stem cells. However, their policy does not exclude that possibility," wrote Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo in a letter to people his diocese (below). He said the organisation also contributes to Planned Parenthood, which he cited as the "largest provider" of abortions in the United States."

Bridget Mary's Reflection:Oh, my, the Ohio bishops are clueless! More proof that women priests and women bishops are needed urgently in the Catholic Church. The Ohio bishops demonstrate that the RC hierarchy does not understand or heed the voices of and experiences of women. This judgment by the hierarchy is guilt by association.One could reason that Catholics should stop giving to the institutional church because such gifts could be used to pay off the legal bills for the pedophile crisis!Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWPAssociation of Roman Catholic Women Priestswww.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

"The vote approving same-sex marriage in New York is the latest and most glaring confirmation of some gloomy news for the Catholic church in the United States, and it’s not that gays have achieved the right to marry.

Rather, affirmed in the recent vote is the disturbing reality that the Catholic hierarchy has lost most of its credibility with the wider culture on matters of sexuality and personal morality, just as it has lost its authority within the Catholic community on the same issues."

Bridget Mary's Reflection:

I agree completely that the U.S. bishops have lost their credibility and moral authority on this issue and many others too. More and more Catholics are following their consciences on moral and spiritual issues today. No one is defective, each person is a beloved image of God!The glory of God is present in our beings which includes our sexuality and sexual orientation. This is basic theology 101. When will the hierarchy wake up and embrace all God's people as equals and therefore deserving of equal rights in all areas of civic and religious life, including the right to marry?Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS, FIRST WOMAN PRIEST, PRAY FOR US AS WE OFFER THE GIFT OF A RENEWED PRIESTLY MINISTRY TO OUR BELOVED CHURCH..

ASSOCIATION OF ROMAN CATHOLIC WOMEN Priests are currently located throughout the United States and in South America. We use equal rites to promote equal rights to achieve justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church that has long denied women the sacrament of holy orders. Our specific charism within the broader RCWP movement is to live Gospel equality and justice for all in the church and in society now. We work in solidarity with the poor and marginalized for transformative justice in partnership with all believers. We view such justice as constitutive of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our vision is to live as a community of equals in decision making as an organization and within all our faith communities. We advocate the renewal of the vision of Jesus in the Gospel in our church and in the world. WWW.ASSOCIATIONOFROMANCATHOLICWOMENPRIESTS.ORGCONTACT- SOFIABMM@AOL.COM

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is a part of the international Roman Catholic Women Priests movement within the Roman Catholic Church that began on the Danube River in 2002 with the ordination of seven women. We are currently located throughout the United States and in South America. We prepare and ordain women to serve the people of God in inclusive communities where all are welcome. We use equal rites to promote equal rights to achieve justice and equality for women in the Roman Catholic Church . We work in solidarity with the poor and marginalized for justice in partnership with all believers. Our motto is justice for all, justice for the poor, justice for women, justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church, including ordination. Contact us at Association of Roman Catholic Women Priestswww.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.orgcontact: Bridget Mary Meehan,ARCWPsofiabmm@aol.com

Here are some of the people who remained after our Sunday Worship on July 34,2011. This was a joyous celebration of the body of Christ. Our format is worship, a communal lunch, then fellowship and Sunday School. Many people remained throughout today as we are now on a biweekly summer schedule to permit for the Vacation Bible School and they were eager to get back together. During the homily,there were many "Amen's" and a moving reflection on the text of the day: Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened and I will give you rest." This group of people whose labor has often been expolited know well the need for rest. They also know the need for rest from the burdens of ill health, family problems, economic problems and the problems of discrimination and stereotypes. As burdens were named and given to Jesus one woman said,"Oh yes, I have all those burdens to give him and more". A distinct comfort was the Scriptural concept,lived in this community , of bearing each other's burdens. And, the Zechariah text about the gentle humble leader riding on a donkey and not riding in the Hummer or Lexus of the day was, for them about the Jesus they knew. The children showed their pictures of Jesus riding on a donkey on Palm Sunday and also talked about the gentle donkey and foal they saw at the petting zoo. We prayed for our Nation to be more like Jesus and enact peace and not power and war on its Birthday. This place where Jesus is so real you can reach out and touch the Christ, is a place of great joy.The abundant homecooked meal was brought by Eileen Wickeri a Lamb of God member, who always stays and has fellowship with us. Pearl, a Good Shepherd member who is originally from the West Coast of Africa, then unveiled a beautiful cake decorated with blueberries ,whipped cream and strawberries to portray the American flag. Today our members came from two Carribbean countries, one South American country, Africa,Italy and Lebanon as well a majority of those Americans born African American into a segregated society that lasted until the 1970's here in Florida. While,many here live below the poverty lines and only five in attendance were upper educated, the depth of theological understanding shared in the reflections on the homily and lived every day is profound. How blessed are we to be church together!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

On this beautiful afternoon their great discovery was that tiny clams live by the side of the sea.They marvelled at this show of God's amazing creation and were very careful to let things unfold so they could see the creature's inside without prying them open.

They were gentle and in awe!

How beautiful it is to share the joys of God's miraculous creation with 'city' children!